Common Black Hawk and more in Canon City

The Common Black Hawk seen last week in Canon City, then not seen for 3 days, was seen again Monday and today. Today's view was fairly close and quite clear though of quite short duration. I think that the number of birders, especially last week when 8-10 were present at one time, are effecting the movement of this hawk.

Two days ago we had an amazing number of White-throated Swifts flying around the area where birders were looking for the Common Black Hawk. When I got there I saw hundreds of these swifts soaring and catching insects above the area. I was told by another birder that he had seen more than a thousand of these earlier.

Other neat birds seen around this area include a Merlin, several sightings of Peregrine Hawks, a dark phase Swainson's Hawk, at least one more light phase Swainson's Hawk, several sightings of Cooper's Hawks and American Kestral, a immature Sabine's Gull, Common Nighthawks and one Lesser Nighthawk. Last week 2 Black Phoebes stayed around. That's in addition to the more common Red-tailed Hawks, Turkey Vultures, Double-crested Cormorants, Great Blue Heron, Mallards, Canada Geese, Spotted Sandpipers, Wilson Warblers and Yellow Warblers.
SeEtta